Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Livestrong

by digby

It seems as if everyone I know is close to someone these days who is battling cancer --- or battling it themselves. It's a daunting prospect for anyone who has to face it, but it must be espcially daunting to those who don't have adequate health care. In fact, they figure that many more people could be successfully treated if they had access to a doctor and could seek earlier treatment.

If you click the link over at the side for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, you will see that they are trying to do something about it:

Today is LIVESTRONG Day

Today is LIVESTRONG Day and I, united with 200 advocates from across this country, will walk the halls of Congress demanding that our Senators and Representatives do more to support the fight against cancer.

We will urge them to support The Cancer Screening, Treatment, and Survivorship Act of 2007, introduced this week by Senator Tom Harkin, Senator Olympia Snowe, Representative Jan Schakowsky and Representative Sue Myrick. This bill is a bold expansion of access to early detection, treatment and survivorship services aimed at reducing cancer mortality rates and improving the quality of life of those diagnosed.

Today is LIVESTRONG Day and individuals across this country will be uniting to host over 230 local LIVESTRONG Day events. From Sean Swarmer, a cancer survivor, hopefully summiting Mt. Mckinley to a luminaria event in Las Vegas celebrating and honoring the spirit of those touched by cancer to a food blog event called a Taste of Yellow people all over this country and in some cases the world have found their way of participating in this fight.